HIV tests for all 15-59 year olds in high risk areas

New guidelines recommend that all 15-59 years olds should be offered HIV tests when joining a GP surgery in ‘high prevalence' areas.

In 42 PCTs where HIV occurs at a prevalence of more than two HIV-positive people in every 1,000 patients, everyone in the target age group should be tested when registering with a GP practice.

The recommendations, published jointly by the British HIV Association, the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and the British Infection Society, also advise testing people in high risk groups such as men who have sex with men.